Make Sure the Light is On - Third Place Poetry

by Riley Hamilton

As the stars are reviled
Some still hang behind
October clouds, Angels
Descend down, dancing, twinkling like
Headlights through costal fog.
Such Spirits that harp and strum in
The periphery with falling red leaves.
Their voices intermingle with
Children laughing, peeking out from
Behind masks and bushes, running.
Except for the
Child chubby on
Corn syrup and MSG’s,
Doped up on Ritalin or
Antidepressants.
All the help we have given him
Counseling sessions, food stamps
Culminating in a break even,
No change, same problems.
It’s Halloween, so smile boy,
Why should you care that
Mother’s eyes are black
Father’s eyes are slack, drunk.
It’s a glorious night to
Beg from neighbors, just
Make sure the light is on and
Keep an eye for
Hidden razor blades, and overly
Friendly old men.
A police officer sits under
Every single street light but
The dark spaces in between hold the memory of
Women raped, murdered,
Men stabbing at each other in
Frustration, the
Taint of
Twisted reality, thoughts and morals.

So, think hard.
Why do angels dance here,
Circling with the leaves?

They must be the fallen variety,
Harder to spot than devils.